


Weighed Down

by saffrondawn



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-08 19:02:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6869644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saffrondawn/pseuds/saffrondawn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Everybody needs practice."</p>
<p>Steve reflects on Natasha's comment after they survive Camp Lehigh.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Weighed Down

_Everybody needs practice._

The words kept running through Steve's mind as he washed as much of the grime, dust, and sweat he could in Sam's bathroom sink. The harder he scrubbed at his skin, the worse everything weighed down. Being named Public Enemy No. 1 by SHIELD. Escaping the Triskelion within an inch of capture. Zola's presence in the computer banks.

_And Bucky._

Bucky. That thought was weighing him down the worst. Believing he was dead before and after the ice only to realize that he was alive, staring at him like he was just another person. And that's what hurt because he wasn't like any other person. He was Steve, Bucky's Stevie. He was the person who would have loved Peggy every day if the three of them had been allowed to live their natural lives. He wasn't the man, the figure, who was adored by masses and who had an entire Smithsonian exhibit dedicated to him.

Bucky.

And that's when Natasha's words came back to him. It was a comment about nothing in particular, but it made Steve think of Bucky. After everything that had gone on, Steve felt guilty about his singular focus on Bucky.

_Everybody needs practice._

Steve remembered making a similar comment to Bucky about how he would be better the next time and how his lack of experience made it bad. He remembered how Bucky had chuckled into the junction of his neck, pulling the blanket as high as he could to protect them from the last of the seasonal chill. Steve had buried his face into his hands out of embarrassment, which made Bucky laugh.

“Stevie,” he said as he pulled the hands away from Steve's face. “Believe me, you don't need practice. It couldn't have been better.”

“Yeah?” Steve asked, his blush deepened.

“Oh yeah. Can't wait until next time.”

Steve smiled at the memory. The appearance of Bucky brought back an ease Steve hadn't felt in a long time. He glanced at Natasha and saw how she was lost in thought. He would have been shaken with the information she had learned.

He shut off the tap and moved to the bedroom.


End file.
